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Mexican Gold Cobs (Scroll down for a brief history of Mexican Gold Cobs, 1679-1732) Mexican 8 escudos from the 1715 Fleet have been moved to this new page.
From THE 1715 Fleet: M1. Mexico, Reign of Charles II (1655-1700) [SOLD] One escudo dated 1700/99, assayer Lopez (L) Very rare one year type (first appearance of the Mo mint mark) Only one other collectible specimen known, Found in July 1988 on Douglas Beach, wrecksite of the Nieves, with Jack Haskins salvage certificate
Here is a rare Fleet gold cob I've never seen before. For some reason the die cutters at Mexico City felt free to experiment in the last year of Carlos II's difficult reign, and this remarkable little one escudo is a result. For this year only, and only on the one escudo, Mo replaces MXo as the mintmark. On all denominations 1701-1713 the Mexican mint reverts to MXo. The Hapsburg shield, with an enlarged triangle of Granada, is very well and distinctive executed for this denomination. On the cross the huge, elongated fleurs de lis in the angles of the cross look like they designed El Greco. See Frances Keith's comments of this very rare type, Type E, in The Appendix to Craig's book on the Florida Collection.
Exactly two dated 1700 Mexican one escudos were found on Douglas Beach in the 1988 Field Season. At Division the State of Florida took one, now coin #11.01694 in the State Collection, and generously allowed this coin to remain with the salvors. Interestingly, the two Fleet 1700 one escudos are from different dies. The State coin is not an overdate and the second 0 in 1700 is large and well centered. On this 1700, the second 0 in 1700 is high and smaller, plainly struck over a 9, most of which is visible. Overdates are certainly not rare on box-cross (1699-1710) Mexican escudos, especially on denominations like the one escudo were mintage were low and dies often recycled.
This one escudos weighs 3.49 gms and has a diameter of 18.5 mm. Remarkably, it has the color and luster that it had when it left the dies 309 years ago. All in all, a superb Fleet rarity.
SOLD. terravitan@aol.com or 480-595-1293
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From the 1715 Plate Fleet M2. Mexico, Reign of Charles II (1665-1700) one escudo, type of 1699-1701, struck from a 1699 two escudos die on a very large planchet, lustrous, beautifully struck and centered, and mint state.
Mexico. Charles II. Rare box cross one escudo issued only 1699-1701.
Lustrous, mint state, and struck on a huge 20 mm planchet from a
1699 two
escudos shield die but from a normal cross die. 3.41 gms.
At the very end of
Charles II's sad reign,
the Mexico City stopped using the jeweled cross design and started
using a new style of cross known as the box cross. The solid
crossbars of the box cross end in rectangular boxes. The box cross
design was introduced in 1699 and was used mostly on posthumous
issues of 1700-1701. Prior to the Fleet recoveries of the 1960's
only one or two Charles II box cross one escudos were known to
exist. Even with the Fleet additions to the population, we probably
have no more than a dozen specimens extant. terravitan@aol.com or 480-595-1293
******************************************************************************************* MEXICAN GOLD COBS
The mint at Mexico City issued gold bars and carefully adjusted
escudo-equivalent gold ingots from at least 1537--see our
Special Page
for
early
Mexican gold ingots-- but was not permitted an official gold coinage
until 1679. Thereafter it struck gold cobs annually, but usually in
small numbers, until 1732. In
that period three Spanish monarchs sat on the throne. The
unfortunate Carlos II
reigned until 1700, to be succeeded by the first Bourbon monarch Felipe V,
whose reign was interrupted for seven moths in 1724 by the accession
and death of his
son Luis I.
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RECENTLY SOLD:
Very rare final issue (1723) of Fleet Assayer Jose Eustaquio de Leon (J)e o lf Assayer J1712smalcob
Mexico, eight escudo, "muy rara"
undated issue of 1723.
This example without question is the finest collectible 1723 onza and one the most attractive of late issue of assayer J. It pedigrees to a major old Spanish collection where it was impounded for over 50 years until late 2007.
Sold SOLD
From the 1715 Plate Fleet
This 1708 onza has the slight reddish tint so often found on 1713 Mexican escudos. It was found in the same area of Colored Beach as the 1713's. I have suggested elsewhere that this reddish tint is typical of gold coins that have spent a long time in contact with saturated organic material. The 1713's and 1708's were probably in a leather pouch when the Nieves sank. This 1708 onza also shows marine deposits and whitish coral, especially on the cross side. It is full weight at 27.0 grams.
Besides being one of
only two 1708 Mexican onzas--the other 1708 is impounded in a
major private collection from which it will not emerge for many
years--this is one of less than a dozen dated BOX CROSS onzas known
for the entire 1698-1710 type period. By any measure it a major
rarity and an amazing survivor from the exiguous early gold coinage of the
Mexico City mint.
From the 1715 Plate Fleet
Mexico. Reign of Charles II (1665-1700). Jeweled Cross four escudos, circa 1690. Very Rare.
The first gold issues of the mint at Mexico City featured the distinctive designs you see on this four escudos. The most striking design feature is the ornate jeweled cross. On the 4 escudos, this design continued until 1699, with at least three significant sub-varieties. No one has yet made a study of jeweled cross Mexican escudos, due to the rarity of the type in all denominations, but I am attempting to do so.
This is a middle-style issue, 1688-1694, identified by various distinctive features of the cross, shield and crown. Prior to the salvages from the 1715 Fleet, the entire population of jeweled cross media onzas (1680-1699) was represented by no more than a half dozen or so coins. See the Lopez-Chavez 1961 monograph on the media onza. I believe the 1715 Fleet has added about another half dozen coins to the population, including this exceptional piece.
This jeweled cross 4 escudos has very light sea surfaces and marine deposits/coral, especially in the lower area of the shield. It has good weight at 13.41 gms and a large, rounded planchet. If you would like a jeweled cross Mexican 4 escudos from the 1715 Fleet, this is a chance that may not be repeated for many years.
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